175 Powder Forest Drive, Ste 201
Simsbury, CT 060899658
860/392-5000
James M. Sconzo (Full bio) is a partner with Jorden Burt LLP in the Hartford, Connecticut office and co-chair of the firm's Tax, ERISA, & Employment Practice Team. He is principally involved in representing employers in a broad array of employment and labor matters. He also has significant experience in commercial litigation, directors and officers' liability, and the representation of professionals, such as attorneys, insurance specialists, accountants and others.
Jim has represented employers in a broad range of industries, including entertainment, financial services, transportation, education, health care, technology, manufacturing and not for profits. He has defended employers in state and federal courts, before administrative agencies and in arbitration. He has successfully defended employers from claims of age, race, sex and disability discrimination, as well as sexual harassment, retaliation, breach of contract and common law tort claims. He has represented employers in single plaintiff, multiple plaintiff and class action contexts. He has defended municipalities, school boards, the State of Connecticut and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from civil rights claims. Jim has defended a number of colleges and universities from claims of wrongful denial of tenure, breach of contract and in faculty discipline matters. Jim conducts workplace investigations and training in the areas of sexual harassment prevention, diversity and privacy. He counsels employers on employment and non-disclosure/non-compete agreements and the many laws regulating the workforce, such as FLSA, FMLA, ADA, the WARN Act, and Title VII.
In addition to his substantial experience in labor and employment matters, Jim has been involved in a variety of commercial litigation, including D&O, E&O, ERISA, and professional liability matters.
Jim has acted as a mediator and arbitrator, and regularly counsels clients on alternative dispute resolution.
E-mail: jms@jordenusa.com
Michael G. Petrie (Full bio) is an associate with Jorden Burt LLP and practices in the firm's Simsbury, Connecticut office. He practices in the areas of employment litigation and labor and employment counseling. He represents employers and management in claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, breach of employment contracts, violation of wage and hour laws, negligence/intentional infliction of emotional distress and other employment disputes. Mr. Petrie appears before state and federal courts and administrative agencies, including the Department of Labor, Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Mr. Petrie also counsels and advises in-house legal counsel, senior management and human resources professionals in preventive employment practices and litigation avoidance techniques involving compliance with federal, state and local employment laws; employee handbooks and policies; conducting proper workplace investigations; hiring and termination decisions; discipline and performance management; training supervisory employees; employment agreements; workplace violence; accommodation of individuals with disabilities; family and medical leave; various employment contracts; and state and federal wage and hour laws. He frequently presents seminars and writes articles on various labor and employment law topics.
Mr. Petrie also represents and defends other attorneys against claims of legal malpractice and related claims.
E-mail: mpe@jordenusa.com
Jonathan C. Sterling (Full bio) is an associate with Jorden Burt LLP and practices in the firm's Simsbury, Connecticut office. His practice includes virtually every aspect of employment law, with a concentration on defending organizations, municipalities and individuals against claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Mr. Sterling has obtained numerous dismissals of administrative complaints from the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO), and has successfully defended employers in CHRO administrative fact-finding conferences. Mr. Sterling has drafted and argued successful dispositive motions before state and federal courts. He has also defended employers before state and federal courts and administrative agencies in cases involving FLSA, FMLA, ERISA, freedom of expression, worker's compensation retaliation and common law claims.
Mr. Sterling has performed extensive consulting and compliance work for employers, including reviewing and drafting employee handbooks, employment agreements, non-compete agreements and arbitration agreements. His compliance work has been wide-ranging; from WARN Act compliance to wage and hour issues. Mr. Sterling also conducts sexual harassment training for employers.
E-mail: js@jordenusa.com